New Zealand police raid politician's offices

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Thursday October 26, 2006

Wellington- New Zealand police raided the home and offices of a member of Parliament and former minister of the ruling Labour Party on Friday who has been suspended on full pay pending an investigation into corruption allegations. Philip Field, a former government minister who has been under attack from Labour's political opponents for months, claims he has not done anything illegal and will not resign from parliament.

An official inquiry reported recently that Field - who was born in Samoa and holds the title "Taito", or village chief - had used cheap labour on houses he owned from people he had helped with immigration problems.

A lawyer who conducted the inquiry found that Field had not abused his ministerial position but said a number of questions about his conduct could not be resolved because key witnesses refused to give evidence.

The main opposition National Party recently lodged a formal complaint alleging illegal behaviour with police.

Parliament's Speaker Margaret Wilson announced that police had executed a search warrant to obtain material from Field's office in Parliament, his home in Auckland and his electorate office in Mangere.

She said members of Parliament were not immune from prosecution or seizure of any material which could be used in evidence against them.

Wilson said it was the first time police had used a warrant to search the office of a member of the New Zealand Parliament.

The investigation centres on a the case of a tiler from Thailand, Sunan Siriwan, who claims Field offered him assistance to get permanent residence in New Zealand in return for working on a house the politician owns in Samoa.

Sunan is now reported to be stranded in Samoa, but says he wants to come back to New Zealand with his Thai wife and New Zealand-born son.

Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to reappoint Field as a minister after last year's election because of a "range of inappropriate practices", but she said they were not in themselves proof of wrongdoing and has declined to sack him.

But she put him indefinite leave pending the outcome of the police investigation.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency